When I first started the magazine project I research different media terminology that I could apply to my own magazine. Terminology such as: format, formula, frame, function anything that would involve the appearance of my magazine and could improve it. Learning the terminology mean't that I could have a better understanding of what is involved in the professional magazines, and what effects could I have upon the audience, whether they are positive or negative. Then it give me a chance to see what techniques I could use for my magazine that would benefit it the most.
My first attempt of a magazine cover was below the normal standard of what a magazine should look like, but it did give me a blue print of what I didn't want my official magazine to look like and how I can change it to make it look better.
As you can see my first attempt for making a magazine did not go very well; half the picture is cut out, 2 out of the 3 pictures are edited and you cant even see the masthead or bottom sell line. But I have learnt from my mistakes and to adapt to how I can achieve a more professionally look compared to my first try.
I have learn't a lot through this project specifically about the technology involved like hardware and software, or the photo editing and embedding software for my blog posts, I have learn't to be more confident with my posts and over time generated my own opinions about theories or past magazines and the effects they have use. I feel as though have progressed over the project by experimenting with different techniques and posting everything I have learn't about the publishing industry. So I definitely do feel that this project has helped maximize my ability of confidence and technology.
One technique I have grown significantly confident is, is the masthead, after experimenting with Prezi I was able to duplicate images and turn them into layers, this enabled me to put the masthead behind the model, just like a professional magazine does. This gave me more confidence in my magazine to start off with when i started my second draft.
The second way I progressed through this project is learning how the "male gaze" theory can affect the way my magazine is viewed, if the model is a certain age, a certain culture or even in a certain style of position wearing provocative clothing, if can effect how seriously the magazine is taken and how many readers the cover alone will attract. Men will buy a magazine if there is a female on the front wearing little clothing looking perfect, and women would buy the magazine because they want to learn how to look the way the model does. However I progressed this theory using the "hypodermic needle" theory, by injecting them with the idea that you don't need to be super skinny and have an airbrushed face to be on the front cover of a magazine. By using this I could engage my audience to read the magazine, without using a perfect skinny model on the front.
I also acknowledged that my first attempt of the magazine was far too cluttered with sell lines, and had to downsize on the amount I used for final cover so all the attention was directed onto the main image in my front cover. So me noticing the changes I had to make did also help me progress if ever in the future I decide to make another magazine or poster.
In addition I have lean't how society today is affected by the social groups they support themselves with, by if a large group of people dislike one thing, then the whole group will dislike it. I had to learn how to adapt to the situation and engage at least one person form a group of audience and the rest will follow into a set trend. This was difficult but I managed it by linking it to the "Hypodermic needle" theory and encouraging each person to be unique with their own signature style, just like my music magazine.
Finally; other than engaging the audience I have also learn't how to influence them no matter what age group that particular person is apart of and how I can keep their interest sustained for the length of the magazine. My first step was to include all different topics that would apply to different groups of people such as; fashion, interviews and concert dates. Using all these subjects I was able to appeal to a range of people who all have a common interest on Country Western music.
In conclusion this project has helped me become for confident with experimenting in different software on both a regular PC and an IMAC, but has also helped me learn different techniques that would apply to every magazine in every genre and developed my understanding of what overall effects it has had on the audience.
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